Low vision care

[fjpod]

What is the source of your low vision patients? Is it word of mouth? Do you have connections with your state or city Comission for the Blind? Do make yourself available to visually handicapped organizations? Does your state certify this as a specialty?

[Johns]

I am a distributer for VTI (Vision Tech. Ind) and I sell quite a few large screen video magnifiers. Almost all of my referals have been word of mouth via satisfied patients/customers. The biggest hesitation I had with getting into this part of the field was that I didn't think people would be able to afford the prodcucts ($1700 + ). It turns out that once I sold one, the lady told her senior friends and word spread. Older people that can afford higher end items usually associate with other people that can also afford them. It has worked out really well.

[mlm]

For us, it's primarily word of mouth. There are so few ODs who provide low vision care in our area that word gets around fairly quickly.

We also get some referrals from the CNIB (Cdn. National Institute for the Blind) and occasionally referrals from local ophthalmologists.

[Dannyboy]

We have done home care for many years so here are some ideas that have worked for us:

1.Visit the nursing homes, you may find to your surprise that they may not have an OD on staff. Offer to do rounds once a month. If you are an Optician offer adjustments and repairs and have access to a portable lensometer & frames. It is always a good idea to have also access to a prescriber.

2. Offer a free temple ID engraving, you will be surprise how much do these folk mix their glasses.

3. Offer a credit course to the nursing staff on low vision aids. Nurses need CE credits just like ODs and opticians. they will always remember you.

4, Approach large attorney firms that handle trusts by offfering your services to their homebound clients. These folks generally have very wealthy individuals that are older. They do not want to bother (even though they have been paid tocare for someone well being)

5. Approach home health businesses (Do your presentation to the staff for credit) The nurses will listen to your speech if it gives a free CE.They tend to refer more and more as time goes by.

6. To do low vision you need an audience, so the above have worked for us. it is surprising how many of these folks do benefit from CCTVs and regular low vision aids. Do not prejudge what an older person can buy by the way they look because that may limit the choices of devices that you demonstrate.

Large business cards work good as well as signature typoscope. At one health fair for a large nursing home we provided the typoscope with our name and phone number. Take time to demonstrate how they work and some may actually see the benefit and later on call you.

Finally, make it a profitable part of your practice, otherwise you will loose interest fast. CCTVs are key to carry and such high priced ticket items allow you to position your earnings to other areas of the practice that are profitable.

We sell CCTVs, microscopes, telescopes, hand held and standing magnifiers. We use a team approach with the patient by demonstrating in an orderly fashion each device. They select what they like and we provide some trial loaners. (pre-paid by them already). Do not forget to have a statement signed by the patient so that you will be able to retrieve any of your loaners in the event of their death. We only charged a couple hundreds for a loaner CCTV and one of our patients died. We never had such a form and it was a mess trying to recuperate the machine. The CCTV was worth several thousand dollars and they kept the machine for a mere 200.

good luck

Dannyboy

[Johns]

Dannyboy,

All excellent suggestions!

Thanks